Three days after Philip and Nathanael were called, Jesus and his disciples travel to Cana, a village nine miles northwest of Nazareth. Here, at a wedding feast, Jesus performs the first of his miracles, or “signs,” as John calls them. Signs point to something, and in the case of Jesus, his signs point to his “glory,” that is the presence of God in him. This passage is mentioned in the opening portion of The Book of Common Prayer marriage service – Jesus “adorned this manner of life by his presence and first miracle at a wedding in Cana of Galilee.” (p.423) John tells the story in a straightforward way, setting the pattern for future miracle, or sign, stories. In this first one, there is little commentary or explanation after the sign, only the servants, the wine steward and the disciples notice, but the water changed in to good wine caused his disciples to “believe in him.” A few things to notice here: Jesus mother alerts him to the wine crisis. Jesus calls her “woman” which is a term of respect, but is reluctant to do something before his time has come. Mary assumes, though, that Jesus will act, and directs the servants to obey him. Jesus does act, in obedience to him mother! And all the guest get to drink really good wine!
February 23 – John Chapter 1:29-51
The story of John the baptizer and Jesus continues in this portion of the first chapter. Notice how different John the Evangelist’s treatment of the baptism of Jesus is from that of the synoptic gospels. Matthew, Mark, and Luke describe the actual baptism of Jesus by John. Here the baptism is not described, but John the baptizer describes his own experience of the events surrounding the baptism of Jesus. John is thus the first “witness” to describe Jesus as the Son of God, having heard the voice from heaven. John’s testimony to Jesus covers three days, and includes a description of “one who is coming after me,” and Jesus as the “Lamb of God,” as well as Jesus as the “Son of God.” On the third day, two of John’s own disciples decide to follow Jesus, the “Lamb of God.” One of them, Andrew, tells his brother Simon that they have “found the Messiah,” brings him to Jesus, and Jesus gives Simon a new name! The other companion of Andrew is unnamed, and may well have been John the Evangelist himself. Having been near Bethany (a different location from the Bethany near Jerusalem mentioned in scripture), Jesus then moves north to Bethsaida in Galilee where he encounters Philip and invites him to join his disciples. Philip invites Nathanael, who calls Jesus the “King of Israel.” The chapter concludes with Jesus calling himself the “Son of Man.” It may be an interesting exercise to list the titles ascribed to Jesus in this chapter. All of these will appear later in the gospel.
February 22 – John Chapter 1:1-28
The Gospel according to John opens with an eighteen verse introduction that sets the tone for the entire book. In this gospel, John will describe events in the life of Jesus as they happened in a particular place and time, and then will present a religious reflection upon the events to illuminate them for us. In the introduction to the gospel, John develops the concept of the “Word” of God, present and with God from “the beginning,” that “became flesh and lived among us.” The person Jesus makes God known to us in an intimate and personal way – “and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth.” This ”Word” was active in creation – in the first creation story in Genesis, God speaks and things happen! The “Word” is the source of light and life, and yet takes on human flesh to bring that light into our lives, overcoming darkness so that “from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” The John mentioned in verses 6-9 and 15 is John the Baptizer. John the Evangelist sees this John as the end of the line of Old Testament prophets - one sent by God to point to Jesus. This first half of the chapter also describes a confrontation between John the Baptizer and some emissaries from the religious authorities in Jerusalem. Apparently John’s “voice crying in the wilderness” had drawn the attention and concern of the authorities – they want to know by what authority he is baptizing people. Is he a prophet, or Elijah returned, or the Messiah? No, John says. I am just preparing the way for “the one who is coming after me.”
Lent with John begins February 22
St. Stephen’s Community Bible Reading resumes during Lent 2012 with the Gospel according to John. From Ash Wednesday through Easter Day we will read one half chapter each day (except Sundays). First blog post and first day of reading will be February 22nd.
December 16 – Mark Chapter 16
The first Easter Day. The women find a surpise at the tomb. The white robed messenger tells them not to be afraid and gives them instructions to tell Peter and the disciples that they will find Jesus in Galilee, “just as he told you.” Where does Mark end his narrative of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God? Some early sources end the gospel at verse 8, one adds the parenthetical two sentences that follow, some add the parenthetical and verses 9 through 20, but most add verses 9 through 20 directly to verses 1 through 8. The last pattern has become the traditional ending of the gospel. There are textual and stylistic differences between the first eight and the last twelve verses of Mark, but most commentators agree that the longer, traditional ending was accepted from early on in the Christian community. If there was a longer ending to the original gospel, it is believed that it was lost early on, and that the now traditional ending was added in its place. The gospel either ends with the women too afraid to say anything that they had witnessed and heard at the tomb, or with the Ascension of Jesus. In a way, I like the ending at verse 8. The early hearers and readers of the gospel would have known that the witnesses to the resurrection did not keep silent, fear did not win out, and that the story did not end there. Those early hearers, and we modern disciples of Jesus, are living proof that the story was told, and retold, from that time on, and is still being told in our lives today. Thank you for reading Mark this Advent. I pray that it has been a blessing to you.
Click here for Mark Chapter 16
December 15 – Mark Chapter 15
I have been thinking about the impact that films like Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ have had on the visual images I get while reading this chapter. Perhaps that or similar films do the same for you. There are four scenes here: the trial before Pilate, the procession to Golgotha, the crucifixion and death of Jesus, and his burial. Notice that the chief priests, the scribes, and the whole council hand Jesus over to Pilate; the chief priests incite the crowds to demand the release of Barabbas, whose name means literally, “Son of the Father.” The rejection of Jesus, the true Son of God, by the crowds in favor of Barabbas is ironic. Notice again how few words Jesus says in his own defense, only “you say so.” On the way to Golgotha, Simon of Cyrene is enlisted to carry the cross. Cyrene was a capital city in what is now eastern Libya. The reference to Simon’s children indicates that they were probably known to the early Christians for whom Mark was writing. The “wine mixed with myrrh” that Jesus refused was a sedative. Notice that Jesus is crucified between two bandits, but there is no conversation with them as recorded in Luke’s gospel. The words Jesus speaks from the cross at verse 34 are the opening lines of Psalm 22. The tearing of the temple curtain, which closed off the holy of holies from the people, symbolizes “for Christians the unhindered access to God achieved for all by Jesus’ death.” The centurion represents the Gentile coming to faith in Jesus, who is not merely the “king of the Jews” but is saviour of all. The women ”looking on from a distance” and the “many other women” give us an understanding that women played a large role in the life and ministry of Jesus. They were important members of his entourage; following him and providing for him. Notice that Joseph of Arimathea, who provides the tomb for Jesus, is a member of the council. This would indicate to me that the religious leadership was not of one mind in its rejection and condemnation of Jesus. Mark writes that Pilate wanted assurance that Jesus was dead before releasing him to Joseph for burial. Mark includes this to dispute the charge that the disciples stole the body of Jesus from the tomb. Joseph buries Jesus, rolls a stone over the entrance, and all is quiet and in waiting. Again, the faithful women look on. They will return to the tomb tomorrow.
Click here for Mark Chapter 15
December 14 – Mark Chapter 14
Chapter 14 includes a description of the plot against Jesus, a woman anointing Jesus with ointment, his last meal with the disciples, predictions of betrayal, abandonment, and denial, distressed and agitated prayer in the garden, sleeping disciples, betrayal with a kiss, arrest, trial before the religious authorities, conviction, and Peter’s denial of Jesus. These are the events that the church commemorates on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. Some things to note:
The location of the anointing of Jesus is in the home of a leper. Tradition has associated the unnamed woman with Mary Magdalene. Compare the instructions Jesus gives the disciples about finding the room upstairs for the Passover meal with the instructions he gave about finding a colt before his entry into Jerusalem. In both cases, the disciples find what they are looking for, just “as he had told them.” The description in Mark of the Last Supper is the earliest gospel depiction of that event; an earlier one by St. Paul appears in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26. In the garden, Jesus uses the familiar “abba,” a word like our “daddy,” in addressing God. Tradition identifies the unnamed young man as John Mark, the evangelist and writer of this gospel, and that his mother’s home may have been the location of the Last Supper. In the Acts of the Apostles (12:12), the disciples meet in the home of Mary, John Mark’s mother, so many commentators believe the Last Supper may have taken place at her home as well. In the trial before the religious authorities, notice how little Jesus says. They convict him of blasphemy, because he answered “I am” to their question, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” The high priest “tore his clothes,” a physical expression of grief. In the courtyard scene that concludes the chapter, the bystanders knew that Peter was a Galilean because of his accent. His dramatic denial of Jesus fulfills the prediction.
Click here for Mark Chapter 14
